Macron and Trump discuss Ukraine energy strike moratorium and Red Sea security in New York

Diplomatic meeting at the United Nations

French President Emmanuel Macron and Donald Trump convened in New York on Monday, 21 September 2026, to conduct bilateral discussions. The encounter took place on the sidelines of the annual United Nations General Assembly, where world leaders and national delegations gathered for multilateral sessions. The private meeting between Macron and Trump lasted for 30 minutes, during which they examined several pressing global security questions. Immediately following the conclusion of the talks, the French head of state addressed members of the international press to outline the core items on their joint agenda. Macron characterized the half-hour meeting as very constructive, noting that it provided an opportunity to exchange views directly on shared strategic priorities concerning Eastern Europe and the Middle East.

Proposed energy strike moratorium

A primary topic during the half-hour conversation in New York was a diplomatic initiative concerning the war between Russia and Ukraine. Macron informed journalists that he presented the idea of establishing a mutual moratorium on deep strikes against energy assets between Ukraine and Russia. The proposed initiative seeks to prevent long-range strikes from damaging power infrastructure, electrical facilities, and energy production sites in both nations. Macron stated that he discussed this framework directly with Trump to explore potential alignment on mitigating infrastructure destruction. Following his meeting with Trump, Macron confirmed that he will raise the energy strike moratorium proposal directly with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in their next scheduled bilateral conversation.

Interceptor supplies and military assistance

In addition to the proposed energy infrastructure moratorium, Macron emphasized the immediate military requirements of the Ukrainian armed forces. The French president conveyed to Trump that Western partners face an urgent necessity to accelerate the delivery of defensive equipment to Kyiv. Macron singled out surface-to-air interceptors as the most critical category of military assistance needed to protect Ukrainian airspace from aerial bombardments. He argued that foreign allies must help Ukrainian forces even faster and with greater strength by supplying these specialized defense systems. After concluding the talks with Trump, Macron reiterated the critical need for interceptors during his press briefing with reporters in New York.

Securing petroleum transit in the Red Sea

Another central pillar of the bilateral talks addressed security in the Middle East, with a specific focus on conditions across the Red Sea. Macron and Trump reviewed concrete approaches on how to guarantee greater security for commercial navigation and better protect maritime routes and infrastructure used for transporting crude oil. The two leaders discussed operational efforts to safeguard tanker navigation and energy transport facilities against persistent navigation risks and attacks in the Red Sea corridor. Macron stated that ensuring the safety of petroleum shipping lanes remains an essential requirement for international stability and energy trade. Following the conclusion of the meeting, the French president reiterated that maintaining secure maritime passages in the Red Sea will remain a key priority for continued diplomatic cooperation.